Archive for the ‘
Under The Hood ’ Category

Toyota is by far and away the biggest hybrid maker on the world market, the unstoppable and genre defining Prius has been a best seller since it’s release in 1997 and in times of soaring oil prices its sale streak doesn’t look set to slow down. Toyota has now sold 3.03 million hybrids between 1997 and Feb-2011 and plans to release 10 new hybrid models by the end of 2012. Lanjut →

BMW will be holding an online press conference today to announce the name of their brand new “sub-brand” that will specialise in producing electric and hybrid vehicles. The sub-brand has been referred to as “i” internally at BMW although it is doubtful that BMW will affix the lowercase “i” to the brand due to its wide use by Apple Inc. and potential lawsuits that would almost certainly result. Lanjut →

Washington state is mulling over a move to implement a gas tax equivalent on electric cars, amounting to about $100 USD per year the tax is said to be aimed at levelling the playing field as electric cars do not pay for gas or the included gas tax. Lanjut →

The global electric vehicle market is set to grow at a rate of 18.5% per year till 2015, with the global plug-in hybrid market growing at a slightly faster rate of 19.1%, claim analysts in a report released by BCC Research titled “Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Progress Review 2010″. The researchers expect to see the international electric car market go from $26 billion in 2009 to $78 billion in 2015, an annual growth rate that outperforms the world’s fastest growing economies. Lanjut →

The CEO of GM, Daniel F. Akerson, announced Tuesday that he is aiming to produce 120,000 Chevy Volts in 2012, a 1100% expansion over the 10,000 Volts planned for 2011. GM had initially hoped to produce 45,000 Volts in 2012 but due to runaway demand has increased the production quota as well as going on the record to say that the Volt will be available in all 50 US states by the Autumn of this year. Lanjut →